Punjab University treasurer repatriation issue

PU treasurer repatriation raises eyebrows
Lahore, May 19: The Governor's Secretariat has expressed concerns over
Services & General Administration Department's alleged unilateral
decision of repatriating the services of Punjab University (PU)
Treasurer before the expiry of his three-year deputation tenure.

It has also asked the Punjab government and the PU vice-chancellor to examine the matter and submit a summary in this regard.

According
to a document available with The News, the Governor's Secretariat
contested that the appointment of Amjad Saleemi, a BS-19 officer of
Provincial Treasury and Accounts Service as PU Treasurer was made on
approval of competent authority i.e Governor/Chancellor while Service
& General Administration Department (S&GAD) Punjab unilaterally
repatriated the services of the said official before expiry of his
tenure allegedly without approval of the competent authority.

Political
analysts as well as some PU teachers see the recent development as part
of ongoing confrontation between Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz
Sharif and Governor Salman Taseer.

It is pertinent to mention
that, in recent past, the Punjab government had cried foul over various
appointments at public sector universities by the governor/chancellor
and expressed strong concerns maintaining that advice of the CM was not
sought in different cases of appointment.

As per the document,
the Governor's Secretariat has also expressed concern over the PU
vice-chancellor's act of relieving the treasurer and assigning the
charge of the office to Dr Uzma Ikram, Additional Treasurer, without
the approval of the governor/chancellor.

It reads "Section 18
of the University of the Punjab Act, 1973 provides that the Treasurer
shall be a whole time officer of the university and shall be appointed
by the chancellor on such terms and conditions as the chancellor may
determine. Accordingly, the powers to appoint and transfer the
treasurer vest with the governor/ chancellor. Therefore, orders
regarding repatriation of services of Amjad Saleemi, issued by
S&GAD, before completion of his tenure of deputation, his reliving
by the PU vice Chancellor and assigning the charge of the post of
Treasurer to Additional Treasurer, without approval of the
governor/chancellor/competent authority are not covered under the law."

Amjad Saleemi, a BS-19 officer of Provincial Treasury and
Accounts Service, was posted as Treasurer in the Punjab University on
deputation basis for a period of three years vide S&GAD's
notification No.SOEI-1-14/ 2006 (C) dated 11.08.2008 with the approval
of the Governor/Chancellor (competent authority) with the approval of
the Governor/Chancellor (competent authority) vide letter No. GS (UNIV)
2-11/2001-519 dated 24.06.2008.

Sources in the Punjab University
said the treasurer was repatriated under mysterious circumstances and
the move had raised many eyebrows within the varsity circles.

They
said PU VC Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran had recently formed a number of
committees to probe into alleged financial irregularities in connection
with construction of IT Centre at New Campus, civil works at the
Department of Space Science and provision of sports facilities at the
university.

They added a heated debate was on among the faculty
members and varsity officials that the repatriation of the Treasurer
might be linked to these initiatives of the vice-chancellor. When
contacted, a PU official claimed that, as per the terms and conditions
of the Treasurer's appointment, the Punjab government reserved the
right to withdraw/ transfer him at any time without assigning any
reason. He said the university had already submitted reply to the
Governorís Secretariat in this regard.

He also confirmed that
the probe was being conducted into alleged financial irregularities,
adding the responsibility was yet to be fixed. He claimed that terms
and conditions were determined by the Punjab government.

Well
informed sources in the Punjab Higher Education Department said that
even when S&GAD wanted to repatriate the services it was binding on
the department to seek approval of the governor/chancellor.

Interestingly
according to the Section 18 of the University of the Punjab Act, 1973
terms and conditions of appointment of Treasurer are determined by the
chancellor/governor.

The News could not reach Secretary
(Services) S&GAD Jalal Sikandar Sultan for comments despite several
attempts on his cell phone. This correspondent also visited his office
on Tuesday, left a message for him and later sent him an SMS but the
public servantí did not bother to contact and talk the issue over.

VAT to jeopardise education sector
LAHORE - Planning inconsistencies and managerial changes in each
government have badly affected our educational system and irregularity
as well as absence of accountability in government sector is major
hurdle in promoting quality education in the country.

Prof Monaza
Parveen, Principal Leadership College for Girls, New Garden Town and
Prof Rafaqat Ullah Khan, Principal Leadership College for Boys,
Shadbagh expressed these views on
Tuesday.

They said private educational institutions have a strict
system of check and balance, which is the major reason for their
success. They said imposition of Value Added Tax by the government is
likely to collapse this system as education sector was already paying
15 taxes of different natures.

Prof Monaza Parveen said our
government should priorities education sector, as it is the only
sector, which could produce torchbearers for our nation. "Leadership's
team visits government's schools, conducts surveys and selects the
needy students to provide them free of cost education," Monaza added.

She
said atmosphere in any educational institution played major role in
polishing students' skills besides framing them into shining stars.
Monaza was of the view that Leadership group of colleges have effective
system of conducting weekly and monthly tests, which is giving
marvelous outcome. She said the parents should give proper attention
towards the productive nourishment of their children, otherwise, a
generation might be spoiled if the issue was not tackled in proper
time.Prof Rafaqat Ullah Khan, however, said lack of funds, inconsistency of
planning and internal management's altercations were destructive for
our educational system. "If private sector can run institutions
effectively then how it's impossible for the government? Actually each
government brings its own education policy and never takes keen
interest to run the previous ones," he added.

He said Leadership
group was running various campus for boys and girls in different
districts of the Punjab including Lahore, Multan, Sialkot and
Rawalpindi. He said vast communication gap among teachers, students and
parents is quite harmful.

"Teaching is a noble profession but
materialistic approach of some teachers owing to commercialism has
badly affected this occupation," he commented.

He said having
nominal fees-system Leadership group is doing the best, as more than
5000 students are being provided quality education in different
colleges across the Punjab.

He said, "we also award mega prizes to
our shining students as a car was given to an old Leadership's student
Mehwish Nadeem, who recently has topped in BSC, Department of Computer
Sciences in Punjab University".

Edu Dept starts consultations with principals, academicians
Lahore: The higher education wing of Punjab education department has
started consultation on the implementation of four-year BS (Hons)
programme in government colleges in the Punjab. For this purpose an
important meeting of department officials with the principals and
academicians was held under the chairmanship of Secretary Higher
Education Ahad Cheema at Civil Secretariat Tuesday for a sure take off.

The
BS (Hons) leading to MS (Hons) to complete the 18 years degree
programme was enshrined in Higher Education Commission plans at the
universities as far back as in the year 2000. A number of public sector
universities and autonomous colleges gradually introduced this
programme under the assistance of HEC along with the existing two years
graduation programme to provide exit to the students after two years
studies.

Later this programme was extended to the colleges through respective provincial governments.

Initially
it was meant for 20 selected postgraduate colleges and centres of
excellence in the province. Recently, however, Punjab Chief Minister
Shahbaz Sharif while deliberating the issue at a 4-hour marathon
session with the officials of education department decided to introduce
the programme in one boys and girls college in each district at least
in one or two subjects.

A number of colleges have already given
their consent to start the programme. The BS (Hons) in limited subjects
and institutions is likely to start from the coming session 2010-11
from September 1.

The BS (Hons) will be introduced in commerce, arts
and science subjects for which facilities of laboratories, libraries
and faculty would be strengthened. However, it has to be seen whether
this programme would be based on semester or annual system and what
would be mode of examination?

The principals and their staff were
also asked to observe the office timings even during the summer
vacations, improve the pedagogy, punctuality, strict observance of time
table and to make efforts to improve the pass percentage of students in
various examinations. The nation

Punjab Teachers protest rally on 21st
Lahore: Punjab Teachers Union (PTU) has announced a protest rally in connection with
schoolteachers' demands on May 21. In a press statement, PTU Central
President Ghulam Mohiuddin and other office-bearers said the rally
would be taken out from Masjid-e-Shuhada to Punjab Assembly at every
cost on 21st to press the government for several demands of teachers,
which include 100 per cent increase in salaries, health insurance
instead of medical allowance, regular scales for MA/BEd PSTs 14, 16 for
ESTs and 17 for all SSTs and award of seniority from date of
appointments to those teachers who services have been regularized.

GCU training
Lahore: A maiden training programme at the Government College University's Continuous
Professional Development Centre (CPDC) was inaugurated on Tuesday. As
many as 35 teachers from GCU and other universities are taking part in
the training programme spread over 24 days/70 sessions. The teachers
will be trained in Planning and Management Skills, Classroom and Time
Management, Pluralism, Passion for Teaching, Fostering Networks for
Academic Sharing, Microteaching, Course Designing. The news

LCWU celebrates FM 96.6 anniversary
Lahore: The first anniversary of Radio Channel FM 96.6 of Lahore
College for Women University (LCWU) was celebrated under the auspices
of Mass Communication Department.

Danish Schools authority members appointed
Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has approved the
appointment of members of Danish Schools and Centre of Excellence
School Authority.

The Punjab Chief Secretary has been appointed
Vice Chairman of the authority. Punjab Assembly members nominated as
members of the Authority are Rana M Afzal Khan, MPA (PP-66),
Faisalabad, Major (r) Abdul Rehman Rana, (PP-53) Faisalabad and Dr Asma
Mamdoot, (W-363). Experts from private sector have also been appointed
members of the Authority. They include Gertrude Timae Garrow, Dr Amjad
Saqib, VC PEEF, Basarat Kazim, Vice Principal LGS, Lahore, and head of
Mission DFID/Country Head, the British High Commission, Islamabad.

The
CM has also constituted an Expert Committee to deliberate upon all
issues and guide the authority viz-a-viz important policy decisions as
mentioned in the Section-4 of Danish School Act including
Administrative Model, Curriculum, HR Recruitment, Training and
Development and Financial Self-sustainability and optimal productive
land use of Danish School.